January 1, Impeachment Can’t Stop Trump’s Best Week Ever

This Day in History | 1799 

George Washington dies of acute laryngitis at his estate in Mount Vernon, Virginia. 

Good morning Middle Americans, 

Who would have ever thought the passage of articles of impeachment, something that has only happen two other times in our nation’s history would be such a non-event. Yes, it’s true that the House Judiciary committee has officially pass articles of impeachment, but everyone knows that impeachment is dead-on-arrival once it gets to the Senate. What will matter more in the long run are the policy wins President Trump secured this week. 

One of the biggest may have been the big step forward taken towards a new US-China trade deal. I will concede that the deal leaves out a lot, but one of the side effects of the trade war has been a weaker Chinese economy. A weaker Chinese economy, means a weaker President Xi Jing Ping. 

Also today, police have a 13 year old boy in custody for the high-profile murder of a New York City college student. The boy has confessed, but police continue to look for two other suspects. 

Finally, remember Lt. Dangle from the show Reno 911? That might be one way to help you understand a story we have today about a police sergeant who was told to tone down his gayness. Well, he’s no longer a sergeant, he just got promoted to lieutenant, in charge of a new diversity unit in the St. Louis County, Missouri police department. 

Read all about it below!

– Fraser Dixon 

Trump’s Impeachment Rebuke Bookended by Policy Victories

(Wall Street Journal) – Frenetic week provides fodder for both the president and Democrats to tout to voters. Even for a presidency defined by stark contrasts, President Trump’s week was one of political whiplash, bouncing from legislative successes to a historic rebuke.

The president clinched congressional Democratic support for his new North American trade deal, won backing for the creation of the U.S. Space Force and reached a limited trade deal with China.

But he also watched as Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee voted Friday to move ahead with their push to make him just the third president in U.S. history to be impeached, an effort that could energize voters in both parties, though odds are strong that Mr. Trump will be acquitted in the Senate.

There was little precedent in Mr. Trump’s tenure for the swings in recent days. The president emerged with achievements to talk up on the 2020 campaign trail, even if it was tempered by the push to remove him from office in the wake of his pressing Ukraine to investigate a possible Democratic presidential opponent.

See why this may have been President Trump’s best week ever here

US-China Trade Deal Achieves a Little, Leaves Out a Lot

(AP) – The limited trade deal that the Trump administration and Beijing announced Friday means Americans will avoid a holiday tax increase on imported toys, clothing and smartphones. U.S. farmers can sell more soybeans and pork to China. And American companies should face less pressure to hand over trade secrets to Beijing.

But what the administration gained from the so-called Phase 1 deal that President Donald Trump celebrated falls well short of the demands the president issued when he launched a trade war against Beijing 17 months ago. Further rounds of negotiations will be required to achieve a more significant agreement.

Still, Friday’s preliminary agreement managed to at least defuse a conflict that had put investors on edge and slowed economic growth entering an election year in which Trump plans to campaign, at least in part, on America’s prosperity.

See what’s in the deal here

13-Year-Old Boy Faces Murder Charges in Death of Barnard College Student

(CBS News) – A 13-year-old boy will be charged in the murder of Tessa Majors, a freshman at Barnard College in Manhattan, who died after being stabbed in Morningside Park on Wednesday night, CBS News has learned. The 13-year-old was caught trespassing in a building on Thursday wearing clothes that matched the description of the suspect. 

Police arrested him for criminal trespass and during a search found he was carrying a knife. He later confessed that he and two others murdered Majors, CBS New York reports. 

Sources said the boy told investigators that he and two friends attempted to rob Majors and stabbed her. Police are now looking for one of the other suspects.

Find out more about the shocking murder here

Police Sergeant Told to Tone Down ‘Gayness’ to Lead New Diversity Unit

(ABC News) – A gay St. Louis County police sergeant who was awarded nearly $20 million in a discrimination lawsuit has been promoted to lieutenant and picked as the leader of a newly created diversity and inclusion unit. 

Police Chief Jon Belmar said in a news release Thursday night announcing the unit that the department “must demonstrate to our officers and to our community that we prioritize diversity and inclusion.”

The announcement comes after a jury ruled in October in favor of Keith Wildhaber, who says he was passed over for promotion 23 times and was told to “tone down” his “gayness.”

Attorneys for both sides have agreed to mediation in hopes of reaching a settlement that would avoid a lengthy appeals process. But Wildhaber’s attorney, Russ Riggan, and County Executive Sam Page’s spokesman, Doug Moore, agreed that the promotion was not part of potential settlement.

Find out more here